Easter with My Grandson: The Best Day Ever

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Circle is a future where money will travel at the speed of internet for fractions of a penny and no one will think about it because it will just be the way we work. Visit circle.com slash podcast. I'm here to discuss the topics that are relevant to all of us and to define what it means to live as our true authentic self. Listen to Life as a Gringo on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by State Farm. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Chipotle's new chicken al pastor is where fire meets flavor. Starting with chicken fresh off the grill, combined into a rich marinade of seared Merida peppers and ground achiote, balanced with a splash of pineapple for the right amount of heat, and finished with fresh lime and hand cut cilantro. Chipotle's new chicken al pastor is fire on every level, only available for a limited time.

Order now in the app for pickup or delivery. Chipotle, for real. And we continue with our American stories. Our next story comes to us from a listener, Paul Bauer, a regular contributor out of the great white north, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Here's Paul with a story about a very special Easter day he had with his grandson. He's titled it the best day ever. On an Easter Sunday morning, my grandson Owen got me thinking about what makes a day be a good day, or more specifically, what makes a day be the best day ever. Owen was at our house that Easter when he was about five years old. He was outside in our backyard in the middle of his annual Easter egg hunt. As he was running back and forth all over the yard, finding the hidden treats and loading up his Easter basket, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Owen looked up at me with his big brown eyes, showed me his overflowing basket, and blurted out as loud as he could, Papa, this is the best day ever.

It was adorable. And his excitement in turn made that Easter morning pretty good day for me as well. After the Easter celebration was over, and Owen went home for the night, I thought about those precious words Owen exclaimed, the best day ever.

That's a pretty bold statement coming straight from his heart. Since Owen just had his best day ever, I began to wonder, what about me? What was my best day? I found myself having a hard time coming up with an answer. For some reason, I started recalling some of my bad days.

It seemed much easier to rattle those off. The Christmas morning when I didn't get the new pair of hockey skates I wanted, or the day I got teased and picked on in school for wearing hand-me-down clothes. Why was I thinking of these rather than my good days?

And then it hit me, I need to think like a child does. The innocence and excitement children have can make any day be the best day ever. With that mindset, it became easy for me to think of great days I've had. I recalled my freshman year in college, a day that started out bad for me. I'd just gotten cut from the college hockey team. I called my best friend to let him know my bad news, and he proceeded to tell me it was okay, it doesn't change a thing.

He's still going to be my friend regardless of what hockey team I'm on. He had no trouble turning what was a bad day into a very good day for me. I have many examples of bad days turning out for the best. Another such day was when I graduated from college and I started my first full-time job at EDS in Dallas, Texas. I was alone and on my own, but eager to start my first career. I was excited to start climbing the corporate ladder. EDS required their staff to dress up in the office back then. And even though I arrived in the Texas heat in that June with very little to my name, I was indeed primed to dress for success, spending the last few of my dollars on my new prized possessions. Three brand new pairs of flax, along with three short sleeve dress shirts and three freshly pressed ties.

I was ready for the big time. However, my first day in the office became a bad day for me because I learned the hard way. The dress code at EDS doesn't allow for short sleeve shirts. That seemed odd to me, having to wear long sleeve shirts in the middle of summer in Dallas, Texas. But my boss made it clear to me, this young punk out of college can't come to the office dressed like this.

He made me keep my sport coat on all day long. Hiding my uncalled for short sleeve shirts, I was in a bind. Fresh out of college, I didn't have any money to buy new clothes.

I was counting on using my first real paycheck for this. That evening, after my first day on the job, I called my parents and explained my dilemma to them. They must have then told my oldest brother, Tom, because before the week was over, I had received a check on the mail from Tom so that I could buy myself some long sleeve shirts. My big brother, without any prodding from me, just turned my bad day into a great day. I know this was no small sacrifice for Tom because he was just starting a family of his own with three young boys in their house at the time. I know Tom didn't have any spare money, but that didn't stop him from finding a way to help out his younger brother. Not only did Tom change that day in Texas from bad to one of my best, but he also taught me an important lesson that has stuck with me ever since. Tom taught me the importance of family, and he taught me how to share and help others without expecting anything in return. My new best day ever at the time has turned into much more, and I try to pay it forward and live by my brother Tom's example to this day. In doing so, hopefully I can brighten the days of others and maybe, if I'm lucky, my kindness might even help someone else have their best day ever too. My five-year-old grandson Owen and his Easter morning best day ever also taught me to look at things differently. The more I thought about it, I realized that oftentimes what can make a difference between a bad day and a great day is perspective. Take, for example, a day of fishing with my son Tim. There have been days where we have caught nothing or very little. Is that a bad day?

Not a chance. Those are the best days ever, as we are together in the boat spending time together with our thoughts and our feelings to share. Or, how about the day I was taking my daughter on vacation to Colorado to spend a week hiking in the mountains? Our morning flight got canceled, and there were no others until late that evening.

While this was the start of a bad day, we took matters into our own hands. Rather than waiting around at the airport all day, we decided to skip flying and take a road trip instead, driving the $13. We had much more fun in the car than we would have at the airport, spending quality time together and laughing along the way.

We even managed to put together a playlist for the radio of songs that we both could agree to. It became a road trip we will never forget, another example of my best day ever. I'm recalling these fond memories and best days thanks to my grandson Owen and his simple but powerful words. Along with remembering the good days, Owen and his words have also stuck with me since and have helped me keep my days in perspective. My young grandson Owen, without even realizing it, taught me to work hard at making all of my days be like his and be my best days ever. Of course, since one of my hobbies is to write poems, I couldn't let Owen's profound words go by without a corresponding poem inspired by Owen on that Easter morning. So I did write a poem about best days, and I'd like to share it now. It's appropriately titled, The Best Day Ever, and it goes like this. This is the best day ever, my grandson said to me while he was hunting for his Easter eggs, and I thought, how can that be?

How is it that a child can be so innocent and free? As I thought about it further, I thought, that should be me. Why can't today be my best day? Why do I always expect more? I've got it all right at my fingertips.

What am I looking for? I get caught up in the daily grind, bills to pay and chores to do. But today should be my best day, for I'm spending it with you. As a child, my best day ever was the day I got a trike.

A few years later, I topped it on the day I got my bike. I grew some more, scored a winning goal. That became my best day yet.

But even that was passed in high school, the day you, my best friend, and I met. The days each of my kids were born were the best I ever had. That followed with day after day, where I was the proudest dad. But lately, I've been in a rut. Are all my best days through?

There must be more that lie ahead, for I have much more to do. I'll uncomplicate my life a bit, look at life a whole new way. Just like a child, I'll be happy. My new best day will be today. Today, my granddaughter giggled at me. I'll remember that smile forever.

Her big brother just said he loves her. Today is now my best day ever. I'll start thinking like my grandson does.

Innocence will open doors. I'll make today be my best day, and I'll help you to make it yours. And a terrific job on the production, editing, and storytelling by our own Greg Hengler. And a special thanks to Paul Bower for sharing his story and his grandson's perspective on what constitutes a best day ever. Mine was simple. When it was the summer of 1976, I was away at a basketball camp in Monticello, New York. And I was anxious, and I was worried, and I was young, and I was a good ballplayer.

And my dad just said, be yourself, on a phone call. Coach Lou Karnasek was walking by the legendary coach at St. John's back when St. John's was a collegiate power. And I was sitting there just taking jump shots from the dead corner. One in a row. Two in a row. Coach stops and goes, son, five dollars if you make one more. I made nine in a row. The best day of my life.

Only a few people saw it. But Coach Karnasek said, look me up in a couple of years, son. But I never grew past five foot ten. That was as tall as I got. The story of the best day ever.

Sometimes they start off as bad days. Here on Our American Stories. Chipotle's new chicken al pastor is where fire meets flavor. Starting with chicken fresh off the grill, combined into a rich marinade of seared Merida peppers and ground achiote, balanced with a splash of pineapple for the right amount of heat, and finished with fresh lime and hand-cut cilantro. Chipotle's new chicken al pastor is fire on every level. Only available for a limited time.

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